A Dragon's Love
by BattousaisGrrl
Summary: {BxK} She had seen it happen every year, yet never had she thought she would be the next to take the journey to the Ryuuguu to satisfy the hunger of the Ryuujin. And never had Kaoru thought she would have to keep on fulfilling the Dragon King’s desire.
1. Chapter One

**_Author's Note_** Here's a whole new Fanfiction for those still interested in my works. I'm sorry for my other failed attempts, but I just didn't have enough inspiration and what I did have never flared back to life. So, after much encouragement from my online sisters, I have decided to give it another go. I hope you enjoy it.

**_Disclaimer_** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way. I am merely using its characters for a few chapters.

**_Summary:_** _She had seen it happen every year, yet never had she thought she would be the next to take the journey to the Ryuuguu to satisfy the hunger of the Ryuujin. And never had Kaoru thought she would have to keep on fulfilling the King's desire._

**A Dragon's ****Love**

**By BattousaisGrrl**

_**Chapter One**_

Hidden within the ever looming clouds in the sky was a palace, a palace that came to be known as the Ryuuguu, the Palace of the Dragon King. The ruler of the Ryuuguu held the title of Ryuujin, but on Earth he was known purely as Hitokiri Battousai, the slayer of a million men.

After the end of what came to be known as the Aka War, the Dragon King returned back to his palace in the Heavens and never again stepped foot on the blood stained ground the people of Earth called home.

However, his departure did not come without a price. For every year, a virgin from the Safaia Village, the parish that started the Bloody War, was sent to the gates of the Ryuuguu as a sacrifice and atonement for causing the deaths of so many innocent lives. On the same night, the bones of the virgin could be found scattered on the ground directly beneath where the Ryuuguu had been the night before.

Now, after five centuries of trading women in return for a world without the Battousai, the offerings have finally ceased with the entrance of a sapphire-eyed maiden.

**oOxOo**

Sitting stiffly on her white stallion, Kamiya Kaoru stared at her paling fingers as her grip on the reins tightened with each step her horse took. The farther her noble steed took her, the closer she was to fulfilling her destiny as the Ryuujin's yearly feast.

Clothed from head to toe in white garments, the last daughter of head of the Safaia Village rode behind her two guides in silence.

Once they had successfully left the forest and began following the path of the eroded road made by the passing of men and horses, the taller of the two dragons finally broke the stillness between them.

His voice rising in volume as he spoke to ensure that their offering heard him above the raging river to their right, "So, what's you're name, Missy?"

"Kaoru," answered the teenager quietly, certain that both dragons would be able to hear her reply.

Sighing, the prickly brown-haired creature raced a free hand through his hair while his other kept a hold on his horse. He didn't bother to conceal his annoyance at the ever present silence as they continued their journey towards the Ryuuguu.

"Look, I know that it's awkward being around dragons and all, especially when you're about to get eaten…uh I mean…." Started the dragon, but at his mistake, he began to uncomfortably fidget in his seat as the tension in the air thickened enough that it felt as if only the claws of a mighty dragon could break through it.

"I know what's going to happen; I've seen it happen to ten girls already and I've seen their bones scattered across the ground like rotten carrots," stated Kaoru, her confidence growing with each word she spoke. "But honestly, what do you expect me to say to you? I probably won't even be living long enough for what you say to become effective."

Frowning at her comment, the dragon protested, "Well that's all the more reason for you to want to pick up a conversation with us. At least then you know that you didn't waste the last few hours of your life sulking over something that can't be stopped! So what if our words don't mean a thing? At least you'll get to learn something before you die."

Slightly startled at the dragon's attempt to be optimistic, Kaoru shook her head before returning to staring at her hands. Her head shot back up when she saw a shadow cascade over her own. She forced herself not to edge away when she realized that the dragon was going to continue the rest of their ride beside her.

"If you don't want to start a conversation, then I will. To start off, I'm Sanosuke and the block of ice in front of us is Aoshi," said the dragon as he tried to get the Ryuujin's dinner to lighten up a bit before her unavoidable death.

At hearing his name spoken, the other dragon looked over his shoulder before facing the front once more.

"You see the sheath at his left hip, hidden by his trench coat?" started Sanosuke again. He didn't bother for an answer before he continued, "Inside are twin kodachis."

The dragon smirked when he saw a glitter of interest in the girl's eyes, silently glad that he was able to get a reaction from her.

"He's a swordsman then? What style does he use?" asked Kaoru as she kept her eyes on the swaying weapon for a few seconds before turning her head to the dragon for an answer.

"I'm guessing you know a bit of swordsmanship too, eh? Well I'm a fist fighter, so I don't really know much about swordsmanship. But to answer your other question, Aoshi uses Kodachi Nittou Ryuu," said Sano, amused that such a fragile looking creature would actually be so enthralled with such a death related thing. Then again, close-to-death experiences taught him that when people was on the urge of dying, they often revealed to others sides of them that even their friends and family never thought existed.

A few seconds of silence crept between them before Kaoru asked, "Why do you where the symbol for bad on your back?"

Raising a brow at the random question, Sano shrugged his shoulders.

"There has to be a reason why you wear it. I recognized you from last year and you wore it then as well, along with all the other times you came to take the offerings to the Ryuujin," recalled Kaoru, her eyes looking into his for an answer.

"You know, for a person who's about to get swallowed, you sure ask weird questions."

Glaring at the dragon, Kaoru forced her itching hands to stop from strangling him.

"I only meant that it was odd how you're asking all of these questions about us instead of going on and on about yourself," added Sano when he noticed the dark glint in the Kaoru's gaze.

Confused, Kaoru cocked her head to the side, asking him with her gesture to continue on with his explanation.

Sano answered as he forced his horse into a gallop, making Kaoru pick up the pace of her own stallion so she could hear his reasoning. "Most of the girls we bring back with us to the Ryuuguu, after I convince them to speak their mind, usually end up talking about themselves for the rest of the trip. You're the first one to not go on about how innocent and delicate you are and how you don't deserve to die. Some have even tried to persuade me to drop them off at the nearest village and act as if they had died on their way to the Ryuuguu. Now that I think about it, you're the first one who hasn't pleaded for your life, Missy."

The dragon's words placed a frown on the virgin's face as she thought about how pathetic those before her had been. It was supposed to be an honor to be one of the few that would help to repay the Village's debt.

"Innocence and delicacy plays no part in survival. It's the actions we take that determine our future," recited Kaoru, remembering the words of her father by heart.

"So what will your next action be then?" asked Sano curiously.

Eyes staring aimlessly about the land they were crossing, Kaoru shook her head.

"I don't know," was the honest and almost hopeless reply.

"You'd better hurry and think of one soon, because the Ryuuguu is descending," spoke the dragon that had been quiet the entire ride.

Bringing her mare to a halt, Kaoru stared up into the cloudless sky and shuddered as she felt the wind begin to howl and swirl around her.

"Look up ahead at the clearing," ordered Sano as he pointed to the Ryuuguu's next location with his head.

Kaoru did as told and felt her eyes widening as she witnessed what looked like a large cloud forming in the treeless region just a hundred meters from where they stood. Her eyes turned to saucers when slowly the cloud began to take shape into the most beautiful home she had ever seen or imagined.

"If you think the Ryuuguu is gorgeous now, wait until you get inside," said Sano with his trademark smirk before making his horse go into a run towards the palace.

Speechless and amazed, Kaoru followed after the two dragons to the infamous Ryuuguu where her destiny awaited.

**oOxOo**

The Palace of the Dragon King shined with a golden light that reflected off from the hundreds of gold covered rooftops of the palace and houses that surrounded the very home of the Ryuujin himself, which was built in the centre of the Ryuuguu.

Standing proud and strong around the entire Ryuuguu was one gigantic wall made of jewels and crystals that caught the eye of every human lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the palace in the sky.

Inside the Ryuuguu were gardens seemingly placed randomly between sections of the Ryuujin's palace, and even more were created near the homes of the dragons themselves.

Along the streets outside the Ryuujin's home, dragons and their pet dragons roamed freely about the Ryuuguu, allowing their human servants to do their bidding.

If not for the name given to the flourishing civilization in the sky, the Ryuuguu could have passed for an oriental-ancient city.

**oOxOo**

The feeling of the eyes of the residents of the Ryuuguu on her ever since she entered their home left Kaoru terribly uncomfortable as she rode quietly behind her escorts towards the enormous palace in the center of the Ryuuguu.

Those who had seen her walk through the gates and into their public marketplace stared at her openly after they had moved aside to allow her and her guards to guide their horses to the Ryuujin's palace.

Unable to help her self, and wanting to avoid eye contact, Kaoru focused her attention on the smaller dragons beside the dragons that were in human form. She watched amazed as a few of them began to spit out fireballs at one another or chase each other's tails. The way they were acting reminded her of a puppy she once had, and it was sort of cute, in an odd sort of way that is, that they were no bigger than a full grown Great Dane. However, their claws and sharp teeth made it obvious as to which species was more powerful.

"Here in Ryuuguu, none of us are allowed to transform into our dragon form so that we don't get confused with the _real_ dragons that live here. The dragons you see are all pets of our people and the ones inside the palace are usually guards. Only a few pet dragons, those are much smaller than the guard dragons, are allowed to reside in Lord Battousai's home," explained Sano when he noticed Kaoru's confused gaze.

Turning to the dragon, Kaoru smiled at the older creature for his answer. She had always thought that all dragons were capable of turning into human look-alikes, but it seemed that she was proven wrong. There was just so much about the Dragon Civilization that she didn't know about and it pained her to know that she would never be able to. Dragons had always fascinated her and it was ironic that a dragon was going to be the one to kill her.

"It'll only take a second, so enjoy every second you have before then," advised Sanosuke.

Kaoru nodded and placed on her best smile as they made their way to the front gates of the Battousai's lair.

It wasn't until they were a few meters away that Sanosuke spoke up again, except this time in hushed tones, making Kaoru lean towards him to catch all of his words.

"Look, Missy. I personally don't want to see you gobbled up, so I'll let you in on a little secret," started Sano, looking up towards Aoshi warily before he continued. "We're going to release you in the Ryuujin's Treasure Room and I'm certain that Lord Battousai isn't going to be in there yet. He usually doesn't take his meals until close to dinner. So you have an hour or less to get out of there."

"What?" Kaoru asked incredulously as she moved back and stared at the dragon in disbelief.

"Keep your voice down! You're just going to have to trust me," begged Sano with his eyes as he forced his horse to slow down so he could give his message to the girl.

Not knowing what else to say, Kaoru nodded.

"There's a ruby inside the Treasure Room, a ruby the size of your fist. All you have to do is take that ruby and then rush off to the back of the room. By the time you get back there, you should come across a huge door. Place the ruby into a slot that looks exactly like it and the door will open.

"There's a ladder that leads down all the way to Earth, which is what Lord Battousai use to use to get down to Earth without getting noticed. Go down that ladder after taking the ruby and use the money you gain from selling the ruby to start a new life," said Sano seriously.

Still trying to register what is was that the dragon had told her, Kaoru led her horse slowly towards the entrance of the palace. It was only when she heard the sounds of the gates opening that she stopped going through the possibilities in her mind.

Slightly dazed at the thought of actually surviving, she gave a polite smile to Sano as he helped her down her mare and effortlessly blocked out the crowd that had gathered in a semi-circle behind them as they walked through the gates.

The moment that the metal bars closed behind her with a click, Kaoru closed her eyes and knew that her attempt to escape was pointless. She had given up before she even tried.

_ "Leaving will only bring dishonor to my family, to Father. I can't let another take my place and take the consequence that was meant for me. I will _not_ burden another with my fate. Who knows what Battousai will do when he finds out his offering is missing? He'll surely go for the village and kill everyone with the excuse that they didn't hold their end of the bargain,"_ thought Kaoru, shuddering at her own fabricated vision of the destruction of her village.

Squaring her shoulders, Kaoru walked with her head held high, determined to face her fears and bring honor to the Kamiya name. She was not going to let her father down, even if it meant her own life.

Walking through the main entrance of the Ryuujin's homes, Kaoru spent the rest of her time memorizing every crook and cranny of the palace to keep her mind off of what she had just recently been told. The more she thought about, the more she was certain that she would want to go through with it. So focusing her attention on her surroundings, Kaoru felt herself accepting her fate with each step she took.

While the three made their way to the Treasure Room, the youngest of the three found her self enchanted with the carvings in the walls as they walked through corridor after corridor. It wasn't until they stopped in front of a large golden door that Kaoru's eyes finally adjusted to the lack of light caused by the dying torches that hung on the walls.

Turning around, both Sanosuke and Aoshi bowed to her out of respect as they moved to leave her alone to let herself into the Treasure Room.

As the taller of the two brushed passed her, Kaoru faintly heard him say, "Good luck."

Quietly waiting for the echoing footsteps of her two escorts to vanish, Kaoru took in a deep breath when no other sound reached her ears. Hands planted on the door, Kaoru pushed with all of her might and nearly fell face forward into the room when she found out the hard way how easily the door actually opened.

Catching her balance before she fell, Kaoru whipped around and glared at the door for almost causing her to have an accident. The hair on her back rose as she heard the hard breathing of something behind her.

Slowly turning her head towards the noise, Kaoru took an unconscious step back when she found herself faced with a nose flaring and fire breathing, red dragon.


	2. Chapter Two

**_ Disclaimer_** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way. I am merely using its characters for a few chapters.

** A Dragon's **** Love**

** By BattousaisGrrl**

_**Chapter Two**_

Kaoru couldn't help but stare as the blood shaded dragon locked gazes with her, stopping her from moving away from his sun colored eyes. Frozen in fear of fascination, Kaoru couldn't tell.

Looking at the dragon, Kaoru was reminded of the dragon one read about in fairytales about how the knight would have to slay the deadly winged-beast to rescue the princess in the tower beyond it.

But as she stared at the dragon, she saw not an ounce of ugliness to the creature's appearance.

The blazing lights in the room did nothing to help her find repulsion against the creature. All it did was make the dragon seem even more beautiful, but it was the dangerous aura it emitted that truly intrigued her.

Hearing the dragon's low growls, Kaoru turned all of her attention towards the dragon's face and couldn't help but find herself lost in its flame filled eyes. The glistening of its scales, the sharpness of its black claws, the flare of its nostrils, and the sparkle of its teeth seemed like nothing compared to the dragon's soul-gazing eyes. They held her stare and it seemed as if the dragon could stop her very heartbeat if she stared at it any longer.

Forcing her gaze to look upon the rest of the dragon, Kaoru felt her breath catch as she finally realized just how tall and intimidating the creature was. She was certain that if the winged-creature wasn't crouched down in a defensive position, its golden horns would have barely grazed the tall vaulted ceiling of the Treasure Room.

So captivated was she that the thought of the dragon possibly being the one that might eat her never reached her common sense.

The shaking of the ground as the scarlet dragon took a step forward made Kaoru take a step back despite herself. She could feel her heart threatening to burst in her ribcage as its thundering pounding in her ears left her deaf when she felt her back pressed against the door.

Fear finally etching into her mind, the virgin offering began to tremble. However her actions ceased when she realized that with each step the dragon took, it began to sway dangerously from left to right. It wasn't until Kaoru noticed the dragon's glazing eyes that she knew something was horribly wrong.

Her eyes widened in terror as the red dragon suddenly collapsed onto its right side on a pile of golden coins, gems, and anything and everything that was worth any value.

Kaoru watched in horror as the added weight of the dragon caused the large pile to avalanche down, bringing the moaning creature down with it to the Treasure Room's floor. She didn't even bother to think twice about whether or not to help the dragon as she pushed aside her earlier fears and made a beeline to the fallen creature. Even the sight of hundreds of other stacks of gold around the dragon didn't change her mind.

Carefully making her way over to the golden-bellied dragon, Kaoru paused when she realized that the now blazing eyes of the dragon were watching her every move as she tried to get closer. She held her ground as the dragon tried to move and could only give it a sympathetic look when it fell back on its right side, only able to move its head slightly to stare at her in its condition.

Moving her hands over her clothing to prove to the creature that she was unarmed, Kaoru cautiously walked on the golden coins to get closer to the crimson dragon. Her eyes quickly moved over the dragon's body to find the source of the creature's pain and grimaced as she saw a katana sticking out of the beast's left shoulder, which was left exposed to the air.

When she moved to try and get it out, she stopped herself from screaming when the dragon began beating its wings against the ground, warning her to stay away. Her sapphire eyes pleaded with the dragon's golden ones to trust her before frowning at the dragon's scowl.

Gaining the trust of an injured animal never was easy.

Knowing better than to try and press her luck, Kaoru took a step back and raised her hands in a surrendering motion to prove that she meant no harm.

"I'm not going to hurt you," whispered Kaoru as she tried to soothe the dragon into letting her see its bleeding wound.

Without a warning, the dragon's claw came straight at her, making Kaoru take a leap back to avoid being slashed to death. Unable to keep her balance from her sudden movement, Kaoru ended up falling on her bottom against the cold golden coins on the ground.

Rubbing her sore end, Kaoru sent the recoiled dragon a glare as she slowly got back on her feet and dusted herself off.

Honestly, she had no idea why she was even bothering to try and help the ungrateful creature.

Seeing the dragon close its eyes and moan in pain quickly reminded her of why she was so willing to assist it.

No creature, despite its deeds, deserves to suffer.

Kaoru sighed as her honorable father's words rang through her ears. _Allowing another creature to suffer is just as bad a crime as murder._

Warily, Kaoru once again made small and deliberate steps towards the creature, so if need be she could jump back to safety should the dragon decide to lash out at her a second time.

Kaoru stilled in her trek towards the dragon when she saw a ruby beside the dragon's left claw. It was then that she remembered Sano's earlier words on how to escape the Ryuuguu. She stopped herself from reaching out to take it when she realized that the dragon's eyes were once again on her. If she didn't know better, she would have thought that the dragon was just waiting for her to take the ruby and abandon it for the door in the back of the room.

Determined to show the dragon she was above such things as escaping her fears, even if it meant her own life, Kaoru took the last few steps towards the dragon and felt her heart calm when the creature didn't move to strike her. Slowly and slightly trembling, Kaoru reached both hands out towards katana and wrapped her hands firmly around the hilt of the weapon. She took one last glance at the dragon and felt her face soften at the sight of the dragon shutting its eyes tightly for the pain that would surely accompany her act of kindness.

Tightening her grip on the katana, Kaoru pulled vertically upward to make sure that she didn't further damage any muscles or tendons the sword might have already pierced. Past experience had taught her that even the slightest alteration of a weapon's path in the skin could resort in death for the victim.

With great effort and a set mind, the virgin placed her feet securely on the ground before once again pulling directly up. The easy release of the weapon from the dragon's shoulder sent Kaoru landing on her bottom once more with a yelp and sent the dragon's eyes open as it went into a fit of growling as blood began to further spew out from the opening the detached sword left.

Knowing that there was no way to effectively cover a wound that large with anything inside the Treasure Room, Kaoru once again looked towards the dragon's eyes for trust.

The dragon stared into her eyes for a long time before it closed its golden eyes and nodded.

Kaoru beamed as she realized she had actually gained the creature's trust and watched on in awe as the dragon began to get smaller and smaller until in its place among the gold lays a red-haired man.

Her breath caught when she was finally able to see all of the blood flowing against the man's blood drenched gi, which had been invisible to her against the man's previously possessed maroon colored scales.

Racing over to the man's left shoulder with the katana still in hand, Kaoru knelt down beside the wounded dragon and helped him to sit up when she saw him struggle to get up on his own.

It was only when she had pressed him to lean himself against her shoulder for support that she noticed just how handsome the dragon looked in its human form. The cross-shaped scars on his left cheek proved that he had had his fair share in battle and Kaoru could faintly make out the scars beneath his wet gi as well as his finely chiseled features. If his eyes were open, she was certain that they'd be just as bone melting as when he was a dragon.

Shaking any further thoughts about her patient away, Kaoru shifted his position on her so that she could easily have access to his wound. Placing the katana on the ground, she pulled the left side of the gi away from the injured area and frowned as she saw that the wound was still pulsing out blood.

From the quickened and rigid breathing patterns of the dragon, she was certain that the sword had been embedded into his shoulder for quite some time.

"It's going to be all right," soothed Kaoru as she used her sleeve to wipe off the perspiration from the man's forehead.

Looking down at her white kimono, Kaoru smiled as an idea came to mind.

Grabbing the katana she had discarded earlier, Kaoru used the sharpness of the blade to tear the bottom of her kimono all around until she was left with a long piece of white cloth.

"It's not as good as bandages, but it'll have to do until we get you out of here," said Kaoru as she wrapped the make-shift bandage over the wound after putting the katana down again. She tightened it only until she saw the dragon's face twist in further pain before she tied it.

After completing what she could to help the dragon, Kaoru leaned back on the palms of her hands satisfied.

She couldn't help but smile at feeling the dragon slowly relax against her. The feel of his crimson locks caressing her neck was like silk and if she hadn't kept her mouth close, Kaoru highly doubted she wouldn't have gasped or made some other incoherent noise.

Trying to ignore the feel of the man against her, Kaoru allowed her eyes to wander and stared in admiration at the treasure filled room. She knew for a fact that there was enough gold, gems, and gold covered items here to feed everyone in her village for five life times and more.

Her eyes widened further when her gaze rested on the ruby that lay within arm's reach to her right. If she hadn't seen the ruby again, she would have never remembered the reason why she was here in the first place.

Fear replacing contempt, Kaoru stretched her right hand out, trying desperately to reach the ruby. The dragon and herself were sure to become the Ryuujin's dinner if they didn't get out of the Ryuuguu soon.

When her hand finally wrapped its way around the jewel, Kaoru slowly moved to her feet, helping the redhead to stand at the same time. She wasn't at all surprised to find that the dragon could stand on his feet firmly on his own; dragons healed a lot quicker than humans.

"We've got to get going. The Ryuujin won't be happy to find out that you're in his Treasure Room. He'll probably kill you before he decides he wants to eat me ahead of schedule," said Kaoru as she grabbed his right hand with her left and tried her best to get him to follow her.

When he didn't budge, Kaoru turned and stared at him hopelessly. Even as sapphire met amber again, the glowing embers refused to be burned out by the water.

"Please," begged Kaoru, "I don't want to see you killed."

Kaoru felt the blood from her face drain as the sound of large footsteps from behind the door to the Treasure Room was finally heard. With each passing second the sound grew louder.

Looking at the ruby in her right palm, Kaoru placed it into the stranger's hands before cupping her hands over his calloused ones.

"You've got to go. There's a door in the back of the room and if you stick this into the slot, the door will open. There's a probably a rope ladder there and I know that it'll lead you down to Earth," said Kaoru, urging the dragon to leave as soon as possible while the footsteps of the dragon outside slightly shook the gold coins on the ground. "You've got to go before Lord Battousai finds you here and does something far worse than sticking a sword in your shoulder," pleaded Kaoru.

As a last resort, she walked behind him and tried to push him to the back of the room, but to no avail.

Not even feeling her attempts, the dragon turned around to face her and said in the richest and knee wobbling voice Kaoru had ever heard and said, "Kenshin. My name is Himura Kenshin."

Shaking her head to stop herself from becoming lost in his gaze once again, Kaoru said, "I'm Kaoru, Kamiya Kaoru. Now please, go!"

The rumbling of the ground beneath her feet caused Kaoru to panic, not for her own life, but instead for the life of the dragon in front of her.

Seeing his golden eyes set on the door that would soon be opening, Kaoru knew that he wasn't going to leave, knew that he would rather die fighting than flee like a coward.

Eyes scanning the room, Kaoru felt relief rush over her for a second when they landed on a smaller pile of gold right behind the dragon. Her eyes danced when she noticed the wall on the other side of it.

Doing the first thing that came to mind, Kaoru wrapped her arms around Kenshin's neck and firmly pressed her lips to his. At the dragon's shock, Kaoru pushed her entire weight against his own until they went tumbling over the pile of gold.

Breathless from her heroic act, Kaoru quickly pulled back to suck in a hiss of air upon feeling the wall against her right side.

Eyes darting to the person below her, Kaoru removed her hands from around Kenshin's neck when she noticed that her right arm was brushing down against his wound. But what made her blush was the stunned expression on the dragon's face. She had no doubt that if she hadn't done what she did, she would have never had been able to catch him off guard long enough to make him lose his balance and fall over like he did.

Her triumph didn't last long, because the squeak of the large door opening made her heart beat faster than ever.

Instinctively, Kaoru whipped her head in the direction of the other dragon as she heard its angry growl at not finding its appetizer.

Looking back down at an almost amused Kenshin, Kaoru frowned. Didn't he know the danger they were in?

Shaking her head, Kaoru placed an index finger to his lips to keep him from speaking or better yet, from laughing. For some odd reason, he seemed as if he were about to chuckle at her attempts to try and save him again. The dragon was becoming more confusing by the minute and she had to wonder if he was bipolar. One moment he was dangerous, the next shocked, although that was partially her fault, and now amused. The dragon seriously needed to work on his mood swings, he was much worse than she ever was during one of her "time of the month" phases.

Seeing the dragon focus his attention on something behind her, Kaoru twisted her head back and barely managed to stop her self from screaming at seeing a brown-scaled tail swaying a hairbreadth away from her face. As if closing her eyes would make the other dragon vanish, Kaoru squeezed her eyes shut and moved her head as deep into the crook of Kenshin's neck and as far away from the other dragon as possible, her hands instinctively clutching the remaining pieces of the dragon's gi for reassurance.

Her eyes refused to open until she felt Kenshin's hand lift her chin so that their eyes met.

She felt her breath catch at the undeniable hunger she saw in his gaze. She seriously had no idea what went on in the dragon's brain.

Suddenly, all sense of reason, all knowledge of fear and anxiety left her as she felt his warm lips on her own again, except this time instead of a hidden agenda, she felt nothing except for the contact of their lips.

Kaoru felt her stomach tighten and warmth spread through her body as he moved her head with his right hand so that he could deepen their kiss.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she allowed the sensation to wash over and through her.

Reflexively she moved her arms around the dragon's neck once again, trying desperately to somehow make them get closer.

As if someone finally turned on her conscience, Kaoru snapped open her eyes when she realized where her thoughts and their actions were leading to. Slightly reluctantly, Kaoru forced herself to break off their contact, her hands planted firmly on Kenshin's chest to stop him from continuing his assault on her lips.

Kaoru shook her head, pleading with her eyes for him to understand. She _had_ to remain a virgin and fulfill her destiny, lest she bring forth destruction to her village and those she cared about. If she were to lose it now, it would not only enrage the Battousai, but it would also mean death to both her and the dragon below her. She was not about to allow such an act of self pleasure to be the cause of death for so many.

Hearing another growl from somewhere within the Treasure Room, Kaoru got to her knees and moved to stand to reveal herself. She was just about to get to her feet when she felt a pair of powerful hands wrap around her wrists and pulled her back down to her knees.

Kaoru stared helplessly into Kenshin's eyes as he too sat up and stared at her in a battle of wills.

Mouthing the words "I have to", Kaoru slipped her thin wrists out of the dragon's hold and got to her feet, refusing to register the look of hurt and disappointment in the dragon's eyes.

Standing at her full height, Kaoru looked around the entire Treasure Room and easily spotted the chocolate colored dragon in the center of the room, digging lazily in the piles of gold for his entrée before dinner.

Crawling over the gold pile that had kept herself and the red dragon concealed, Kaoru raised her voice when she was at least a few meters away from the stranger she had given her first kiss to. "I'm over here, Ryuujin."

Ears twitching at hearing something, the larger dragon raised its head until its horns brushed against the ceiling. Its dark brown eyes scanning the room until it spotted its prey.

"My apologies for making you search for me, milord," said Kaoru with a bow, keeping an eye on the pile of gold behind her for any sign of movement. She could only pray that the dragon behind it would get enough sense to take the ruby and escape.

Deliberately making as much noise as possible with each step he took, the brown dragon took his time walking over to her. For some reason, Kaoru had a feeling that he was simply stalling and just waiting for something to happen..

As if on cue, a growl emitted from behind her, causing her eyes to widen in fright as a certain blood colored dragon jumped over her and aimed its teeth for the brown dragon's neck, which had risen to its hind legs in defense.

With the weight of the smaller dragon suddenly thrust on him, the larger of the two lost its balance and toppled over and fell down against the treasure, which sprinkled all around the two beasts in a gold waterfall.

Not able to get in a bite from the struggling of the larger beast and the flailing of its large claws, Kenshin jumped back and bared his fangs instead.

Kaoru stared speechless as she watched the two encircle each other. Even if Kenshin seemed insignificant towards the other enormous dragon, the dark aura and hidden strength in each of his movements more than made up for his size.

Remembering that Kenshin was already injured, Kaoru felt a pang of panic etch into her heart when she witnessed the larger of the two dragons charge at the one she suddenly found she deeply cared for.

Before the coffee colored dragon could ram against the shorter one, Kaoru did the first thing that came to mind and flung herself between the two dragons with her arms outspread.

Her sapphire eyes unflinchingly met startled brown ones as the dragon skidded to a halt, using its claws to dig into the gold to slow his worked up momentum. His left front claw was barely a human step away from her by the time he managed to come to a complete stop.

At seeing the dragon's behavior, Kaoru couldn't help but cock her head to the side in confusion. She had heard plenty of stories about Hitokiri Battousai, the slayer of a million men, and not one of them ever mentioned him stopping a duel just for the sake of a woman's life, yet here he was making a fool out of himself for a woman and human one at that.

Noticing that the dragon was refusing to look into her eyes, Kaoru continued her analysis of the dragon suspiciously.

It wasn't until she finally realized why the dark shade of brown looked so familiar that she felt her anger flare.

"Sanosuke, how dare you play such a nasty trick!?" demanded Kaoru as she planted her hands firmly on her hips, glaring at the undeniably taller and stronger creature in front of her as if it were nothing more than a child that needed scolding.

Apparently uncomfortable, the brown dragon began to shrink smaller and smaller until a certain spiky-haired man appeared smiling sheepishly at her with a hand rubbing the back of his head nervously.

Fuming, Kaoru forced herself to stop from hitting the man upside the head for nearly scaring the living daylights out of her.

"I thought you said that Lord Battousai would be here to greet me in an hour or less, yet here you are trying to scare me to death before he even gets a chance to see me," chided Kaoru.

Visibly distressed, Sano laughed uneasily before protesting, "But Missy…Lord Battousai did see you."

Completely puzzled, Kaoru questioned, "What? What are you talking about? Lord Battousai hasn't seen me…unless he saw me on our way here."

Shaking his head no, the virgin stared into his eyes, silently asking him to explain himself yet again.

"Then when did he see me? Where is the Ryuujin now?" asked Kaoru instead as she felt dread rise in the pit of her stomach, her heart refusing to accept the only possible answer.

Closing her eyes shut, Kaoru felt as her heart being squeezed painfully when she heard a reply from behind her, "I'm right behind you."

No matter how much she tried to deny it, the recognition of the deep and sinfully addictive voice wouldn't allow her to reject the thought from her mind.

Opening her eyes, Kaoru ignored the taller man who was looking at the floor shamefully and turned around, her eyes watering at the very sight of the dragon she had kissed only heartbeats before. Her eyes moved to his earlier wounded shoulder and bit back a sob as she noted that it had completely healed as if it never existed.

Kaoru shook her head in denial as she took a step back from the red-haired Ryuujin she had been taught to respect and hate since as far back as she could remember. The very thought of actually feeling something other hatred for the dragon shattered all that was left of her dignity.

The fact that she had actually _enjoyed_ her experience with the murderer of million men caused her to sway, her legs threatening to give way.

At seeing him reach out a hand to try and catch her, Kaoru took a step to the side and out of his reach, shaking her head as a silent gesture for space.

Finally gathering what was left of her pride, Kaoru looked from one dragon to the other before demanding angrily, "Was this some type of sick joke?"

Feeling terribly guilty, Sano took a small step to her and shook his head. "It wasn't a joke, Missy. It was a test. But guess what? You passed!" smiled Sano meekly, desperately trying to lighten the mood.

"Test? What in the world are you talking about?" asked Kaoru confused, this time looking towards the red dragon for a response.

"Every virgin brought to me is given a chance to survive based on her actions. You're the first one to pass all of the requirements," said Kenshin calmly, his eyes remaining on her structure after seeing her body tremble so badly that it seemed as if she'd collapse at any given moment.

Wanting to further explain, Sanosuke added quickly, "And every year I'm to make the girl feel comfortable on our way here and then act as if I really like her and then tell her how to 'escape'. They end up following my directions and each one has taken more than just the ruby with them. Before they reach the door, they're already dragon chow. But don't get me wrong, Missy. I honestly wanted you to live, really I did!"

Kaoru closed her eyes and shook her head. How could he expect her to trust him after what he had just said? He had been playing with her! All along he had had no intention of actually trying to help her. How could she trust a creature that lied to her without a second thought?

Her eyes opened when she felt her chin being lifted up by the familiar fingers of the Battousai and felt somehow comforted at seeing his golden gaze staring into her blue ones, but in the back of her mind she knew she should have been repulsed and offended.

Despite what her mind was screaming at her, Kaoru could still feel the warmth that radiated about him and the fire he created within her veins with just a simple touch of his fingers. The idea of him being the Hitokiri Battousai did nothing to deplete the invisible fascination he had on her.

Her eyes threatened to close as she heard his breathtaking voice and with all her might she tried desperately to focus on his words before she once again found herself lost in the lulling of his voice and his molten gaze.

The dazed woman barely managed to catch his words as she felt his thumb caress her lower lip while he talked.

"Greed is the cause of the loss of pure innocence," started Battousai slowly, allowing his words to sink in before he continued. "However, my sweet virgin, you've shown no such sign of greed except for in all the…_exceptional_ categories."

When her mind finally processed the dragon's words, Kaoru felt her face heat with blood as she recognized what it was that he was referring to. She had a feeling that at the moment her face resembled a ripe tomato when she became aware of the lust in Battousai's burning stare.

Hearing a cough from the brown dragon, Kaoru moved her chin out of Battousai's hold and took a step back before turning to face the other dragon, inwardly thankful for having an excuse to avert from Battousai's attention.

Shuffling nervously from foot to foot, Sano cleared his throat for the second time. "Forgive me, Missy?" pleaded the dragon. Seeing Kaoru frown, Sano said hastily, "Like you said Missy, it's our actions that determine our future."

At hearing her own words repeated, Kaoru nodded as she finally understood why the dragon did what he did.

"After all, I was only doing what I needed to do to survive," added Sano almost jokingly as he nudge his head in the red dragon's direction with a wink. "So what do you say? Forgive old Sanosuke for being a dolt and trying to play you for a fool?"

Rolling her eyes, Kaoru gave him a smirk before nodding her head yes. She couldn't help but smile when she saw him grin from ear to ear.

However, her smile turned into a small frown as something dawned on her.

Turning her head back towards the Ryuujin sadly, Kaoru felt her eyes begin to glaze over with water again.

At the scarlet dragon's raised brow, Kaoru shook her head and asked softly, "Aren't you going to ea--…" But before she could finish her question, she froze when Battousai's index finger pressed itself softly against her lips to stop her from continuing.

"I told you before, you're the first and only one to pass my survival test," said Kenshin seriously before adding with a grin, "And if that doesn't explain things, then maybe this will."

Before Kaoru could question his reply, Kaoru felt the air in her lungs escape her as the feel of his gentle yet hungry lips replaced his index finger. Slowly, Kaoru felt her eyes drift close and head grow dizzy as he tried to devour her with a kiss, his lips refusing to part to allow her access to oxygen.

Content, yet still slightly questioning, Kaoru allowed herself to fall into the void of unconsciousness, knowing full well that she was wanted and protected.


	3. Chapter Three

**_ Author's Notes:_**I really appreciate all of the encouragements and ideas. I would like to personally thank JaneDrew for inspiring the creation of this particular chapter. Any future suggestions for the story would be wonderful.

**_ Disclaimer:_** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way. I am merely using its characters for a few chapters.

** A Dragon's Love**

** By BattousaisGrrl**

**_ Chapter Three_**

A chilling breeze slithered through the open window and wrapped its way into the crimson room, its affect on the occupants of the room futile except for on the young maiden laying peacefully on the golden bed.

The silence that had once enveloped the atmosphere was shattered when one of the two dragons in the room spoke.

"Do something useful and close that window, tori-atama," ordered the only female dragon in the room when she noticed her patient beginning to stir in her sleep.

Grumbling incoherent words about lazy doctors, the brown dragon left his post from the foot of the virgin's bed and walked over towards the window. His eyes lingered on the white clouds that had gathered around the window and the darkening sky for a brief second before he snapped it shut and locked it.

Making his way back towards where he once stood guard, Sanosuke looked over the warming features of Kamiya Kaoru, the only being who had ever managed to get pass the Ryuujin's test of virtue.

At the remembrance of how he had stabbed the girl in the back with his words, Sano felt a pang of guilt strike his heart once again. It didn't matter that she had forgiven him; he had still lied to her.

"Will you stop looking at her as if she's about to die?" snapped violet-dressed doctor in irritation from her seated position in the chair next to Kaoru's head. With practiced ease, the purple dragon replaced the cold towel from the girl's head with a warm one from the water filled basin on the nightstand next to her. "She simply fainted; there's nothing life threatening about fainting. There are plenty of maids out there who fall unconscious at the sight of blood and I don't see you worrying your brain out for them."

Sano rolled his eyes at the comment.

"I understand that she's different from the rest if she's remained alive this far, but why are you, and more importantly the Ryuujin, so worried over her well being?" asked Takani Megumi curiously with her attention still on the virgin's face.

Shrugging his shoulders, the male dragon moved his hands into his pant pockets and allowed his eyes to move back towards the closed window.

Sighing, Megumi shook her head.

"You know as well as I do that no one has ever been able to make Kenshin show any form of emotion except for bloodlust," started Sanosuke when the doctor was about to speak. He turned his gaze away from the window and met Megumi's eyes before turning to Kaoru and smiling. "That is until now."

Eyes widening, Megumi turned her focus on her patient and then once again on Sano.

"Sir Ken…." Whispered Megumi as she tried to allow her mind to process what Sano had tried to silently tell her. The Ryuujin's real name had never been spoken in the Ryuuguu since he had left to Earth to kill a million men and more. Wanting to make sure she was correct, Megumi asked almost cautiously, "You mean that it is possible…that he shall convert once more?"

Megumi couldn't stop the tears of hope from glazing her vision at Sanosuke's nod.

The very thought of life returning to what it once was had been a simple legend and now, with the proof presented before them, it seemed to actually be in reach.

"She lit his inner flame without even trying. I know she's the one, the one that will help us all by helping the Ryuujin," said Sano for his own assurance and the doctors.

"For her sake and ours, let's hope so," said Megumi as she once again looked at Kaoru's slumbering form.

The scrapping sound of something against the wooden doors alerted the dragons of another visitor.

"I'll get it," said Sano when he noticed that Megumi was about to stand.

Upon opening the doors, the dragon immediately got down on his left knee so that his right arm rested on his other knee and his left fist touched the ground. With his head bowed, Sano waited for Megumi to come over and do the same before they both stood up at the same time to greet their lord.

Sanosuke faintly acknowledged the dog-structured pet dragon to the Ryuujin's left as he said in a neutral voice, "Lady Kamiya is doing well, milord."

"She'll be up and about after a few more hours of rest, Lord Battousai," added Megumi as they both side stepped so that both the Dragon King and his pet could get into the room.

Closing the doors once the gold dragon's tail and folded wings completely entered the room, Sano silently followed master and pet towards Kaoru with Megumi at his side.

"A few more hours?" questioned Battousai finally after seating himself where Megumi once sat, his eyes never leaving the raven-haired beauty.

"The night has ascended and it wouldn't be surprising if her body wanted to recuperate to its full potential. She might not awaken until tomorrow morning once we've made it into the Barrier, and as you know milord, humans aren't physically powerful enough to remain conscious at the high altitudes we'll soon be reaching," reminded Megumi as she and the spiky-haired fighter stood at the foot of the bed.

It was a known fact that the human body could not withstand the pressure that came with going upward towards the Heavens, which was why all of the human servants remained asleep during the yearly ascents back to the Barrier; the Barrier being the only place in the sky where both humans and dragons were capable of living in.

"I understand," was all that the Ryuujin responded with in return, his eyes still locked onto the patient's paling face.

When the pet dragon got on its knees and rested on its buttermilk colored belly at Kenshin's feet, the other two dragons knew that their lord wasn't going anywhere until Kaoru became conscious again.

Without having to be told, the pair once again bowed before leaving one of the many recovery rooms in the Ryuujin's palace.

** oOxOo**

Kenshin stared at the daring virgin before him emotionlessly, his eyes softening only slightly when he remembered how soft her rosy lips felt against his own rough ones.

The very memory of the feel of her petite body lying on top of him finally made him close his eyes and relive their encounter.

No matter how much he tried to ignore the sudden emotions he had conjured because of the virgin's presence, he could no longer deny the fact that he wanted her, that his mind, body, and soul _needed_ her.

There was just something about her that attracted him to her like a moth to a light.

Reopening his eyes, Himura the Hitokiri Battousai stared at Kamiya Kaoru's flushed face and allowed a smile to linger on his lips for a fraction of a second as he moved a lock of stray hair behind her left ear thoughtfully. Even as she slept, she still looked as beautiful as ever.

The moment he saw her stumble into his Treasure Room, Kenshin knew that there was something different about her. Not because she didn't possess the grace the other virgin's had possessed before her, but because of the flame he saw in her eyes when they first locked gazes.

Her entire demeanor had radiated with a glow of inner strength. It was this glow that had attracted him. Her spirit had called out to him when he had found himself staring at the light around her, and it had mercilessly mocked him with her innocence.

In an attempt to prove to himself that she was just as greedy and selfish as the others, he had embedded his own katana into his left shoulder.

Without thinking, the Ryuujin moved his right hand to his healed shoulder blade.

Remembering why he had done such a thing to himself, Kenshin felt himself grow slightly annoyed at how he had thought that Kaoru would have left him to lay bleeding to death on the Treasure Room floor while she searched for the ruby and other valuables.

When he had watched her make her way over to him without stopping to take any of his treasure, Kenshin knew that Kaoru was indeed from an honorable family bloodline. If she wasn't, then he was certain that she would have left him to die. But even if he had known it then, it still didn't stop him from further trying to find out if she really was a noble person.

As a last resort, he had purposely lashed out at her so that he could shift his body enough to reveal the ruby.

Deep in his heart, he knew that he wanted her to avoid touching it, but his arrogance had made him doubt her virtue. After all, five centuries of failure would have made anyone doubt the selflessness of the human race.

Seeing his pet dragon suddenly stand to its full height, Kenshin pushed his thoughts aside and stared at his pet questioningly.

"What is it Kuwairo?" voiced Kenshin as he too stood up.

Eyes traveling in the direction his pet was staring with its head cocked to the side, the Ryuujin couldn't resist smirking when he turned himself around and saw wide sapphire spheres staring see him.

** oOxOo**

Slowly opening her eyes, Kaoru could do nothing more than stare in astonishment and amazement as she met the ruby eyes of a narrow-faced dragon. Her eyes widened further when she noticed a certain red-haired Dragon King turn around to face her.

"Finally awake?" asked the Ryuujin, his voice just as face warming as she remembered it.

Blushing as the memories from earlier that day rushed into her mind, Kaoru nodded and allowed Kenshin to help her into a sitting position on the satin clad bed.

Uncomfortably, Kaoru shifted slightly to the left when the Ryuujin sat down on the edge of the bed next to her.

Unnerved by the stare of the shoulder-height pet dragon, the virgin allowed her gaze to fall on the golden blanket in her lap, which blended perfectly with her yellow and white yukata.

"You don't mind that Megumi changed your clothing, do you?" asked Kenshin when he saw her fingering the soft fabric on her left arm.

"N-no, it's all right," answered Kaoru quickly as she looked back up at the Dragon King to reassure him that she wasn't offended.

However, the moment her eyes met his golden ones, she immediately regretted her actions.

The raw desire in his gaze was enough to send shivers down her spine. It seemed that the Ryuujin was planning to devour her whole after all.

Turning her head to avoid his stare, Kaoru kept her attention on the flower designs painted neatly on the red wall to her left instead.

Reluctantly, Kaoru turned back around when she felt his right hand holding her chin and slowly taking back her full attention.

Kenshin's eyes narrowed as he looked into her eyes, his anger growing as he saw something akin to fear and panic etch its way onto her beautiful face. His hold on her chin tightened as he demanded crossly, "Where's the fearless maiden who stared straight into death's eyes with nothing more than fascination? Why are you scared now when the danger is over and done with?"

Feeling her own rage form from his fury, Kaoru moved out of his hold and glared at him.

"You have no right to be angry at me and speak to me as if you know me," scowled Kaoru venomously. She had no idea why she felt so furious at the dragon, but the look of disappointment she saw on his face, and the fact that _she_ caused it, because of her sudden weakness, enraged her.

"Then tell me, little Kaoru, what is my right?" asked Kenshin patiently after allowing her to go over her thoughts. He couldn't help the slight quirk of his lips as he saw her expression when his words sunk in.

Finally realizing _what_ she had just said and _who_ she had just said it to, Kaoru paled. How in the world could she forget that she was speaking to the Hitokiri Battousai?

Cursing herself for being stupid enough to talk before thinking, Kaoru frowned when she saw a triumphant smirk expose itself on the Dragon King's face. The dragon was becoming awfully confusing and she couldn't for the life of her find a reason why he was acting as if he'd won something.

Kaoru was about to question his actions when the sound of a deep growling from behind the Ryuujin made her jump a few inches off the bed. A yelp escaped her before she could hold it back.

Another frown occupied her face at hearing the Ryuujin chuckle while he shifted himself on the bed so that the forgotten golden dragon could be seen.

"Congratulations Kuwairo, you're the first one to truly scare this young maiden," chuckled Kenshin as the dragon placed its chin on its master's right shoulder to get a better look at Kaoru.

Too enchanted with the dragon's beauty, Kaoru didn't bother to make a comment on the Ryuujin's derisive remark.

"He's your pet dragon, ne?" asked Kaoru as she kept her eyes transfixed on the shimmering coat that made up the dragon's armor.

Human and dragon stared at one another, each one examining the other for what seemed like the first time.

Despite the fact that she had already seen the dragon when she first awoke, Kaoru still found herself drawn to it by its aura, which seemed to scream supremacy and dominance. For some reason, she was oddly reminded of how she felt when she first met the Ryuujin in dragon form.

"Kuwairo has been guarding my family for centuries," answered Kenshin as the dragon bent down to move its head onto his lap again. "He is the last of the Koganeiro Dragons."

Mouthing an "Oh", Kaoru watched as the Ryuujin stroked his pet in fascination.

When Kenshin's hand moved to the dragon's neck, a red glint caught Kaoru's attention and she couldn't help but stare at the item that was embedded into the center of Kuwairo's forehead.

Unable to stop herself Kaoru blurted out without thinking, "Is that a ruby?"

Kenshin's movements faltered slightly at her words before he continued his ministrations as if the question didn't bother him.

"Yes, it is," answered Kenshin in such a low voice that Kaoru had to strain her ears to catch his words.

Realizing the tension in the room, Kaoru changed the subject by asking, "Kuwairo is older than you, then?"

It eased her to hear the Ryuujin chuckle again.

"Compared to him, I'm merely a hatchling," said Kenshin as Kuwairo stood up straight on all fours and puffed out his chest, making Kaoru giggle at his attempt to seem superior to the Ryuujin.

Covering her mouth with her hands to try and stop her fit of laughter, Kaoru couldn't help smiling after her giggles had ceased.

She blushed when she noticed that both the dragon and his pet were staring at her.

Reaching a trembling hand towards Kuwairo's head, Kaoru stopped short and withdrew her hand as she realized how rude she was being. Looking at the Ryuujin for permission, Kaoru asked timidly, "May I?"

Staring at her for a long time, Kenshin finally nodded after looking at Kuwairo for its approval.

Feeling Kaoru's nervousness, Kuwairo leaned his head towards her hand to reassure that it was all right to touch him. His eyes fluttered close upon feeling her fingers slightly brush his forehead.

Kaoru beamed as she touched the golden dragon's forehead, her caresses becoming bolder when she heard the dragon make a sound that resembled a cat's purr.

"His coat is so smooth. It's like touching the skin of a baby," said Kaoru breathlessly as she turned her head to face the Ryuujin.

Her blue eyes twinkled in delight as she looked at the Dragon King, and for a second, she felt her heart stop beating. The Ryuujin's golden eyes were blazing with the same inner fire she had encountered in the Treasure Room. She could feel the familiar warmth spread through her body from the sheer intensity of his stare.

Forcing herself to ignore the Ryuujin's lust-filled gaze, Kaoru turned her attention back to Kuwairo. Her eyes widened upon noticing that the Koganeiro Dragon had the same flaming gaze as its owner. If she hadn't known any better, she'd have thought they were the same being.

Despite herself, Kaoru blushed as Kuwairo moved its head towards her so that their cheeks barely caressed. The small intimate gesture of peace sent shivers down her spine.

Kaoru felt relief flood back to her as the dragon pulled back and took a step behind its master.

"It seems Kuwairo has taken a liking to you," stated the Ryuujin, his gaze never straying from her face as he spoke. "Kuwairo has never thought of others outside of the Royal Family to be his equal. It's seems you're the only exception, Kaoru."

Kaoru had to suppress a shudder from the licentious way the dragon said her name.

"Well…it seems I've had a lucky streak with being the first at quite a number of things today," said Kaoru sheepishly as she recalled how Sanosuke had said she was the first to pass Battousai's 'Test of Virtue'.

Feeling terribly uncomfortable under the gaze of the Dragon King and his pet, Kaoru looked down at her bed sheets and idly began wringing her fingers together.

Kaoru suddenly felt her self become colder and instinctively moved her hands to her arms to try and rub some heat into them. It felt as if someone had splashed a bucket of cold water over her head. And having experienced it before, Kaoru cringed from the memory as the thought passed her mind.

Seeing Kaoru begin to shiver, the Ryuujin stood up and offered a hand to her, "This is a room for the sick, not my guests. We should get you to your new sleeping quarters and into new attire, unless you prefer to wear what you have now?"

"No it's all right, I'll remain in what I am in now," reassured Kaoru as she took his hand graciously and thanked him again as he helped her to stand.

Slightly wobbly from having not walked in a few hours, Kaoru blushed when she realized that the only reason she was still on her feet was because of the Ryuujin's firm hands planted on her waist.

"Are you sure you can walk on your own?" asked Kenshin as he helped her walk a few steps towards the door.

"I think I can," said Kaoru when the Ryuujin let her go.

Taking a step forward, Kaoru felt a wave of nausea crash against her and stumbled back despite trying to walk forward. In an attempt to try and stop the dizziness, Kaoru placed the palm of her hand to her forehead and shook her head. She groaned as she realized that the action only made it worse.

At seeing Kaoru nearly collapse, the Ryuujin quickly caught her by the elbows before she could fall flat on her rear.

Blushing furiously at her inability to walk properly, Kaoru muttered a thank you before she closed her eyes and righted herself up again with the help of her host.

"I'm sorry to be a burden," whispered Kaoru as she hung her head at her temporary weakness and tried her best to walk again.

"Your legs are becoming numb and your skin is turning deathly cold, I'm surprised you're even conscious," said the Ryuujin as he pushed aside her apology. His brows furrowed in concern when he felt her coldness through the thick fabric of her yukata.

Before Kaoru could utter another word, she felt her head begin to spin and found that breathing was becoming more and more difficult by the second. She felt herself flush again when she realized she had stumbled back against the Ryuujin's muscular chest.

"You should be proud of yourself, not ashamed Kaoru. You're the first human to have remained conscious during the ascent to the Barriers," encouraged the Ryuujin as he scooped her up in his arms with one hand on her back and the other under her knees.

The sudden chill that had gotten to her returned at full force and she couldn't help but tremble from the coldness that swiped through her.

Before her eyes threatened to droop close from the lack of oxygen, Kaoru managed to wrap her shivering arms around the Ryuujin's waist and gave a weak smile as she cuddled into his radiating warmth just as she felt herself falling into an abyss of darkness.


	4. Chapter Four

**_Author's Note:_** A big thank you to everyone who have reviewed. They've all been very encouraging and I hope that I don't disappoint any of you.

**_Disclaimer:_** I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way. I am merely using its characters for a few chapters.

**A Dragon's Love  
**

**By BattousaisGrrl**

_**Chapter Four**_

They were always wonderful feelings to possess: love, compassion, and happiness.

For as long as Kamiya Kaoru could remember, she had always known what it felt like to be under the influence of all three of these aspects of life. And never had she been subjected to their counterparts: hatred, cruelty, and sorrow.

However, their cousins: anger, greed, and death were not uncommon in her life. She had been around them the moment she was born, yet she had lasted seventeen long years without becoming tainted by their negativity. In the end, her refusal to be enslaved by them kept her alive.

It was her sense of security, her ability to have faith in others' integrity that allowed her to so easily trust the Ryuujin with her body as she remained unconscious during the ascent to the Barrier.

After all, if he had truly wanted to he'd have already taken her last reminder of her life on Earth; her innocence.

Mind put fully to rest, Kaoru fell into a comfortable slumber against the one creature who had never known what she had so effortlessly received since birth.

**oOxOo**

Feeling the young woman in his arms cuddle closer to his chest, Kenshin couldn't help but smile down at her as he followed the path back to his chambers with Kuwairo in stride to his left.

Memorizing her peaceful face, the Ryuujin was painfully reminded of the girl's purity, of the innocence he had long ago lost on a battlefield of greed and revenge.

A tug on his gi brought him back from his musings.

Looking down at the dragon that had gotten his attention, Kenshin shook his head when he was met by concerned ruby orbs.

"I'm fine, Kuwairo," reassured the Dragon King.

Despite his master's words, the Koganeiro dragon eyed the red haired king suspiciously, but nonetheless remained quiet.

Walking down the lantern lit corridors soundlessly, Kenshin and Kuwairo stopped as they felt the marble tiles beneath their feet tremble.

As if to answer their growing confusion, a startled scream sliced through the cold air, followed by the warning roars of the guard dragons.

Turning around, superior and subordinate both narrowed their eyes as they witnessed the source of the scream run towards them.

**oOxOo**

Misao felt her lungs constricting as she raced down the corridors, making quick left and right turns at random corners to try and lose her pursuers, who just happened to be very large dragons with extremely sharp teeth and claws.

The teenager cringed when she heard their angry roars magnify to warn the other occupants of the Ryuujin's palace of her presence, running even faster as the pounding of their feet on the tile ground became louder.

Cradling her last chance of escape against her chest, the Emerarudo villager ran as quickly as she could.

Nearly dodging slamming into a wall as she made an abrupt meander around another turn, Makimachi Misao forced her feet to move one in front of the other when she realized that she was slowing down.

When the echoes of the dragons' footsteps began to grow softer and softer, Misao finally allowed herself to rest.

Fisting her only means of freedom, the 16-year-old shoved the item into the chest folds of her kimono for safe keeping.

Leaning her back against the wall, she finally allowed herself to fully catch her breath as her lungs sucked in much needed oxygen.

"Damn…is it just me…or is becoming harder…and harder…to breathe?"

Heart beating insanely against her ears, the escaping servant didn't hear the monster that approached her from the shadows until she felt it breathing down her heaving shoulders.

Looking up, Misao let out a shocked scream when her emerald eyes met amused sapphire orbs, which belonged to the most beautiful azure dragon she had ever laid eyes on.

Stopping herself from just standing there and admiring the creature's splendor all day, Misao let her ninja instincts take over as she crouched down.

Getting low enough to the ground so she could skid underneath the dragon's belly, the soon-to-be slave pushed herself forward, uncaring that the hem of her kimono was further getting ripped upward towards her thighs as she sprinted underneath the dragon.

Surprised to find that her maneuver actually worked after finding herself on the other side of the magnificent beast, Misao swiftly got back on her feet and once again began to run.

"At least there's one good thing about being small," mumbled Misao as she moved on, willing her lungs to keep taking in air from the thinning atmosphere.

Finally noticing where she was going, Misao nearly squeaked when she noticed an auburn haired man and a golden dragon staring at her with gazes far more deadly than that of the blue dragon's she had encountered earlier.

Skidding to a halt when she realized a girl around her age was in the man's arms, Misao let out a sigh of relief once she reopened her suddenly closed eyes to find that she had stopped short a few inches from the amber eyed man, who was most likely only a few inches taller than herself.

Head becoming dizzy from the lack of circulating oxygen throughout her entire body, the servant bent over slightly and placed her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath once more, uncaring of what the man before her might think of her.

Misao couldn't help gulping nervously when she heard a deep throated growl.

Taking an uneasy glance through her bangs, Misao almost squeaked again at seeing the dragon crouching down right in front of her, ready to attack should she try and harm the two behind it.

Slowly standing back up to her full height, Misao took a step back when she noticed the very pointy canines that the beast was baring at her; fangs that promised a painful journey to the afterlife should she make any sudden moves.

If it weren't for the fact that her legs were completely worn out, Misao would have run away long ago when she first found herself staring into the face of Death.

Unable to move from her spot, Misao could only watch in horror as the creature took a step toward her, its bone-crushing claws gleaming menacingly in the lantern lit hall, which for some odd reason seemed as if it were slowly becoming darker.

"A young human female such as yourself should not be conscious for the ascent to the Barrier," spoke a hypnotic voice that Misao could only guess belonged to the man with the mysterious aura.

Realizing that it wasn't the corridor that was slowly spinning, but instead her mind, Misao groaned when she felt her legs buckle underneath her. As her world began to grow black, the granddaughter of the leader of the Emerarudo Village still clutched the blood shimmering ruby inside her kimono against her pounding heart, refusing to give up even as she fell forward onto the chilled floor.

**oOxOo**

Kenshin stared at the lifeless body at his feet and shook his head at the triumphant expression on Kuwairo's face when the girl suddenly collapsed.

"She didn't faint because of her fear for you, Kuwairo, she passed out from the lack of oxygen," reminded Kenshin, ignoring his pet's glare when he uncaringly crushed its ego.

Looking up at the sound of boots lightly clicking on the tiled ground, the Ryuujin nodded upon seeing one of his most trusted warriors walk up to him and give him a bow to the waist.

"Your Majesty," greeted the other dragon after straightening himself again, his smile masking his true emotions as it always did.

Kenshin eyed the young lord for a long time before he once again looked down at the crumpled girl on the ground.

"It's not like you to let captured servants out of your sight, Soujiro," said Kenshin, his gaze once again returning to the other dragon. "Normally they'd be broken by now," stated the Ryuujin as he looked at the blue dragon for an explanation.

"I assure you, Lord Battousai, it shall never happen again," promised Soujiro as he gave an apologetic bow for his lack of control over the disobedient human.

"Then see to it that it doesn't," said Kenshin warningly.

Soujiro nodded before kneeling down to pick the servant off of the ground.

Kenshin watched silently as the dragon lord picked up Misao's limp form, his gaze faltering only when he felt the virgin in his arms begin to stir.

Meeting Kuwairo's excited gaze, Kenshin knew that his guardian felt Kaoru's reawakening aura as well. It was through their silent conversation that Kenshin realized that he had forgotten something.

Lifting his head, the Ryuujin noticed that Soujiro had already begun to walk in the direction from wince the girl had just come from.

"Soujiro," called back Kenshin.

"Yes, milord?" asked Soujiro as he turned back around to face the Dragon King of Ryuuguu.

"Once she has awakened, get her cleaned up, fed, and into a new kimono. After she is deemed decent to be in my presence and understands that escape is futile, escort her to my chambers," ordered Kenshin.

If the lord was at all surprised by his king's request, he didn't show it.

"As you wish, Your Majesty," smiled Soujiro, giving yet another bow before he left to do as asked.

Certain that Soujiro was out of earshot, Kenshin faced Kuwairo again and asked sarcastically, "Happy?"

At hearing his pet growl pleasingly, the Ryuujin turned and once more continued his trek towards his bedchambers.


	5. Chapter Five

**_Author's Note:_** My utmost apologies for not updating in so long! I'm so sorry, but my computer broke down because of a stupid virus and I had to get it reformatted. It took longer than I thought to get the needed items to fix my computer and it took even longer for me to fix it. My apologies once again.

**_Disclaimer: _**I do not own Rurouni Kenshin in any way. I am merely using its characters for a few chapters.

**A Dragon's Love**

**By BattousaisGrrl**

_**Chapter Five**_

Eyes fluttering open, Kaoru groaned as a ray of sunlight hit her unprepared eyes.

Instinctively covering her sensitive sapphires, the Ryuujin's sacrifice slowly sat up, moaning at how stiff her limbs felt.

"You shouldn't be up you know, His Royal Majesty won't be pleased if he found out you got up on your own," spat out an irritated voice to her right, the sarcasm that coated the girl's words making the Safaia villager cringe.

Looking towards the owner of the annoyed voice, Kaoru couldn't help but cock her head to the side upon seeing a girl no older than herself seated on a red velvet chair with her arms across her chest, the girl's face clearly stating that she had not sat there willingly.

Kaoru frowned. Had this girl, who was no doubt a human from her aura, been forced to be her servant by the Ryuujin? The very thought made Kaoru queasy. To be the cause of someone else's misery did not suit her well at all.

"Lord Battousai sent you to look after me, didn't he?" whispered Kaoru, her head downcast as she clenched her fists around the golden sheets in her lap, vaguely aware that she was still clothed in her white and yellow yukata.

She raised her head and stared at the servant when she heard the shorter girl snort in disgust.

"Trust me, I'd be more enthusiastic about my new job if it _was_ you who I had to look after for," reassured the servant. Her face twisted into exasperation as she continued, "I can handle working for a human, or at least someone who at least resembles a human, but doing the will of a stupid arrogant dragon, who can't even talk, is just too much!"

Kaoru openly stared.

"You mean you're Kuwairo's servant?" asked Kaoru incredulously.

"_Lord_ Kuwairo," corrected the subsidiary distastefully.

Kaoru sighed. She should have guessed. Kuwairo was much too proud to be called anything else lower than the Ryuujin, whom he practically raised, or rather protected.

"What's your name?" asked Kaoru. If she was going to be with the girl for the time being, then she might as well find out what her name was.

"Misao, Makimachi Misao of the Emerarudo Village," introduced the braided-haired girl proudly. Her face immediately brightened at the mention of her home, making her look dazzling in her lime kimono.

"I'm Kaoru, Kamiya Kaoru of the Safaia Village," greeted Kaoru with a smile as she got off of the large circular bed she had previous slept on.

Misao's eyes widened for a split second at Kaoru's introduction, immediately going to Kaoru's side and helping her to stand up straight when Kaoru faltered.

"I'm sorry," apologized Kaoru blushing, "I guess I'm still recovering from the ascent to the Barrier."

"The Ryuujin had warned me about your condition," stated Misao, stepping away from Kaoru once she was certain that Kaoru had her legging again. "We're already at the Barrier; I believe you've been asleep for a couple of hours now."

Kaoru looked out of the arched window a few steps away from the bed, her brows creasing together at the sight of the sun peering over the high clouds beyond the Ryuuguu's walls.

Misao quickly took it upon herself to explain in a matter-of-fact tone, "The Ryuuguu has been traveling around the earth the moment it reached the Barrier, which is a layer of breathable air fit for humans to live up here among the clouds." The servant looked thoughtful for a second before smiling. "I just learned earlier today why no human has ever caught more than a glimpse of the Ryuuguu. The Ryuuguu is constantly moving around the earth within the Barrier and the only time it ever stops and descends is to pick up its promised servants and...chosen virgins."

"Ah," was all Kaoru could say, painfully reminded of the reason why she was on the Ryuuguu in the first place.

Taking in the large room, which was more than five times the size of her own home, Kaoru asked almost automatically when she noticed something, or rather someone, missing, "Where is the Ryuujin?"

"Lord Battousai?" questioned Misao, blinking before raising a brow when Kaoru turned to her and nodded. "The Ryuujin and _Lord_ Kuwairo went to check the perimeter of the palace. I was informed that they were flying around the Ryuuguu just a few minutes before you woke up." Misao's eyes widened in panic as she remembered something else as well. "The rooster-head also told me to make sure you were well prepared before they came back. So come on, we've got a lot of work to do and they could come back any second now!"

Kaoru stared at Misao confused when the small girl grabbed her right arm and tried to drag her towards the ebony-wooden door that was right in front of them. One moment the girl was revolting against her duties and now she was doing her best to comply to them. Kaoru was beyond baffled at Misao's behavior.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Kaoru, causing Misao to stop in her attempt to get Kaoru ready.

"Doing what?" asked Misao confused.

"Doing as you are told. You don't seem like one to bend easily to others' commands," said Kaoru knowingly.

Misao frowned. "I don't like working for others as much as anyone else, but I have to."

Kaoru stared at Misao expectantly, her eyes communicating that she was not going to cooperate until she got her answers.

"If I don't get you in there, washed and presentable before they get back, I'm going to get in _big_ trouble. _Please_, Kaoru," begged Misao as she once again tried to get Kaoru to move.

"Misao," said Kaoru firmly, "what are you hiding?"

Head bent, Misao whispered, "If I disobey them again, I'll get in trouble. Please, Kaoru, _please_ don't make this any harder on me."

Biting her lower lip, Kaoru nodded, yielding reluctantly to Misao's pleas.

Suddenly beaming, Misao dragged Kaoru towards the ebony door with an extra bounce in her step. "I'm going to make you look so stunning their jaws will drop!"

Kaoru nearly groaned. What had she just gotten herself into?

**oOxOo**

Blowing her bangs out of her eyes, Kaoru sighed as she kept her hands in her lap, waiting none too patiently for the Ryuujin and Kuwairo in the overly large dining room.

After nearly drowning in a large pool of water that was supposed to be her new bathtub, Kaoru had been washed, dried, and clothed as if she had been pampered her entire life, Misao refusing to let her do anything but remain still and look pretty. Snuggled tightly into a gold and crimson kimono, Kaoru had her hair forced into a bun by an over enthusiastic Misao, who kept adding amber dragon ornaments into her dark locks to keep her black waterfall from cascading down her back. Then, to add to the finishing touches, Misao had ordered Kaoru to put on a set of ruby embedded jewelry, which included dangling earrings, a lovely bracelet, and a diamond necklace with a golden dragon wrapped around a teardrop ruby-pendant attached to it. But no matter how much Misao had demanded and begged, Kaoru had refused to wear any rouge, leaving Kuwairo's servant fuming and frustrated as she led her to the dining hall.

Apart from feeling terribly awkward when servants and dragons alike bowed to her as she passed them, Kaoru's earlier tour of the Ryuujin's palace had been uneventful.

Now, as she sat to the left of the large chair at the end of the table, which obviously belonged to the Ryuujin, Kamiya Kaoru of the Safaia Village felt terribly uncomfortable. The very thought of meeting the Ryuujin again had her more than self-conscious about the way she looked. Had she overstepped her boundaries by wearing his colors? Should she have agreed to Misao and worn rouge? Had it been a good idea to choose a lavender scented bath over rose or strawberry?

Worrying her lower lip, Kaoru snapped her head up almost painfully at Misao's light touch to her shoulder.

Forcing herself not to message her neck, Kaoru stood and bowed when she noticed the dragon in gold, not daring to meet eyes she knew would be filled with the same fire that was flowing through her veins.

"Lord Battousai," greeted Kaoru, straightening with an apologetic smile when she heard an envious growl. "Lord Kuwairo," added Kaoru and Misao at once when the last of the Koganeiro Dragons came into view from behind the Ryuujin.

Covering her mouth with her left hand to stop herself from giggling at Kuwairo's arrogant posture of supremacy, Kaoru met the Ryuujin's gaze.

Looking away from his knowing eyes that seemed to be able to read her very soul, Kaoru shifted nervously under his inspection. His eyes left an invisible trail of heat as he examined her from top to bottom, taking all of her in almost possessively.

Kaoru shivered despite herself as she caught the twinkle in his hypnotic gaze.

A low growl from Kuwairo stopped the Ryuujin's analysis of his new proclaimed virgin, causing Kaoru to giggle as the Ryuujin rolled his eyes further Heavenward.

Tail swaying rhythmically behind him, Kuwairo walked over to Kaoru and rubbed himself against her, purring as Kaoru caressed his honey colored skin when he came to a stop at her right.

"I missed you too," said Kaoru as she petted Kuwairo's head lovingly, ignoring Misao's scowl of distaste.

"Hungry?" questioned the Ryuujin as he motioned for Kaoru to sit down while walking to his own seat.

Blushing at her stomach's growl in response, Kaoru nodded her head once she had sat down.

Giving her a smile, Kenshin looked towards his pet, who had made its way to his right.

Roaring a command, Kuwairo raised his head triumphantly and gave a fang-smile when his call was answered by several servants entering the room with silver plates in their hands.

Misao quickly raced to Kuwairo's side once the Ryuujin had given his pet an approving pat on the head.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Kenshin, returning his attention to his guest as they were being served, his eyes observing Kaoru's every movement.

"Yes, I did, thank you," reassured Kaoru. "How was the patrol of your palace and the Ryuuguu?" She wasn't exactly sure how she was to act around the powerful dragon, especially with the way his golden depths kept giving her very unladylike ideas and images.

Going scarlet, Kaoru shook her head, trying desperately to focus on the contents of her plate instead of the sweet taste of the Ryuujin's mouth on hers and undeniable longing in his eyes that mirrored her own agonizing want.

Stopping herself from barely groaning, Kaoru forced herself to focus her attention on Kenshin's response to her earlier question.

"-raining soon. We'll be trapped in a lightning storm whether we like it not. The Ryuuguu is not capable to moving fast enough to avoid the large storm," said Kenshin, continuing despite the fact that he knew his guest had been only half listening. His patience only went so far, but he decided against embarrassing her after noticing how often she kept shyly eyeing his lips as he spoke.

Smirking when Kaoru still didn't look away from him, Kenshin asked, "Still tired?"

"W-what?" asked Kaoru startled as she looked into the Ryuujin's eyes, blushing when she realized she had missed what it was he had asked her.

"I asked if you were still tired," repeated Kenshin, taking pleasure in the way she squirmed under his gaze.

"No! I mean...I-I'm just a bit dazed...I guess... I'm fine," answered Kaoru hesitantly, looking anywhere but at the Ryuujin.

Kenshin raised a brow at her reply, but said nothing. She would come out and tell him when she was ready. The Ryuujin smirked at the thought and the memories of the Treasure Room that came to mind. She would no doubt come to him when she was ready and he wouldn't be the Hitokiri Battousai if he didn't help her...prepare.

Smiling at her, Kenshin asked, "Shall we eat?"

Nodding, Kaoru returned the smile and began her meal, missing the glowing intent in her host's eyes.


	6. My Apologies

**My Apologies**

I'm sorry that this isn't an update. I really wanted to update one last time before I went back into mental rehab for summer, but I just couldn't. I know that this sounds like a lame excuse for not writing, but I think it's about time some of you found out why I have yet to finish any of the stories I've put up in the past.

For as long as I can remember, I've been on medications for being Bipolar. When I'm on my medications, I'm hyper, I'm energetic, and just plain perky. But when I'm not, I'm depressed to the point of being extremely suicidal. I've been placed in the hospital so many times for attempting my own death that most of the doctors and nurses at my local hospital personally know me. I have had more counselors and psychologists than there are states in the United States. And each and every summer, I'm taken to a mental hospital, way up in the Rocky Mountains.

And if any of you had waited for my earlier works to update last year, then you probably noticed that I suddenly just sort of stopped writing. That time, the death of a very close childhood friend of mine caused me to completely shut down for a bit. I couldn't bring myself to even read anything, let alone write.

Please understand that it's really hard for me to just move on. My mind doesn't function correctly, it simply doesn't just let go of the past, it--no, **I** can't completely bring myself to cherish the past as only memories. Every time I resolve to move on, I remember something and I just start crying and getting depressed to the point where my medications don't work. And it's scary to know that my medicine might not work sometimes, because my life depends on it. So that's why I can't move on at a quick pace, I can't just tell myself to leave things be and continue on with my life, not when my brain won't follow. It has taken me nearly a year to get over Cynthia's death, and I'm still not completely over it, but now with the death of another one of my best childhood friends just this month...I can't bring myself to write about happiness, friendship, and love.

I really do hope that you guys will give me time to recover, and understand that I can't write on demand. You've all been wonderful, and I know that I probably don't deserve such great reviewers, but still, thank you all. Without your encouragements, I don't think I could have gotten past the first chapter. But I promise you that I'll finish A Dragon's Love, even if it takes me years.

And please, if you know someone whose been through a tramatic phase, please don't tell them just to get over it. Those words sting much more, and do so much more damage than if you were to say nothing at all. Just being there will be enough; give him or her time. And this is what I ask for: time.

Once again, thank you all for being who you are and giving a few minutes of your life to me by reading this.

I hope you all remain healthy and well. And I hope I can manage enough to update before school starts again.

Best of luck,  
_**BattousaisGrrl**_


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